If You Had to Buy Just ONE Stroller from Newborn to Toddlerhood and Beyond, What Should It Be?

The process of selecting a stroller has always been a challenging task for many parents. A few years ago, when my husband and I were looking to get our first stroller, we definitely experienced numerous encounters of paralysis by analysis. We were really overwhelmed with the number of different stroller choices out there – not only were there tens of different “top name brands,” but there were also many different types of strollers – umbrella, lightweight, jogging, double umbrella, and the list goes on.

As first time parents at that time, we wanted to make sure we made the BEST choice, so we did tons of research and listed down things to look for in each different stroller type. If you’re interested in finding out more about each of these different types of strollers and reading our detailed guides on each of them, head over to our website, Mommy Stroller.

After my first email exchange with the editors at Ecocentric Mom, they suggested a very intriguing topic for me to share with the parents here at Ecocentric Mom:

If you had to buy just one stroller from newborn to toddlerhood and beyond, what should it be?

It’s a great question, especially if you’re resource-conscious like most of the Eco-mom community. If you’ve been to my blog, you’ll know that there’s really no simple answer to the question. I’ve always encouraged parents to go through the process of thinking through what their needs and future plans are before purchasing a stroller because doing so can help narrow down choices as well as make sure they purchase the best stroller for their needs.

That being said, throughout this article, I’ll attempt to provide a stroller which I would pick that is suitable for a newborn to toddlerhood and beyond as well as provide reasons for my choice.

Why Just One Stroller?

Before we move into that though, it is worthwhile to go over the benefits of having just one stroller:

Saves Time, Money and Resources

One of the advantages of having just one stroller throughout (and beyond) is that you do not have to go through the process of picking out a stroller again. This directly translates to savings in time and money.

The nice thing about this is that since strollers can nowadays be pretty costly, you’ll be able to avoid spending money on a second stroller you don’t really need.

Saves Room

For those of you who live in major cities or in apartments whereby space is limited, this is another big plus for having just one stroller. Many times, parents find themselves buying too many baby products (including strollers), only to find out that they’ll eventually have to rent a storage space in order to store everything. Less can often be more in other aspects.

Convenience

Imagine you had two kids, would it be easier to have to push one or two strollers? Obviously just one! The point is, if you currently only have one baby, but you’re planning to have a second one soon, having a single stroller that can accommodate two kids is often the far better choice.

The idea is to not have more than one stroller for each purpose. Ideally, you’d want to avoid having two jogging strollers, two lightweight strollers, and so on.

In trying to pick a stroller, I looked at how most parents would use their strollers. The stroller is most often used whenever parents run errands, go to the mall or go for walks. As such, if I had to pick ONE stroller for everyday use…..this is what I’d recommend!

This Baby Jogger stroller stood out in my head as soon as I was looking through all the strollers I had reviewed in the past for an answer to Ecocentric Mom’s question.

A quick note: The brand of the stroller is “Baby Jogger,” however, this does not mean that this is a jogging stroller. (In fact, the City Select is something that shouldn’t be used for jogging or running activities).

Why did I pick the City Select? Here are the five reasons why I’d pick this stroller if I had to pick one!

Versatile and Futureproof

Probably the main reason why I’d pick this stroller is the fact that it versatile and futureproof. What do I mean?

Too many times too often, I’ve seen parents purchasing a single stroller for their newborn baby, only to find themselves needing either a second single or a double stroller the next year or so when the second baby arrives. As discussed, this would require parents to go through the process of researching and picking out a stroller all over again.

With the City Select, you can start with the base model and if you decide to have a second baby, all you have to do is purchase a second seat which you can then easily attach onto the existing stroller frame. How cool is that?

What’s nice is that Baby Jogger also has a glider board to allow your older kid to “hitch” a ride while you push the stroller. This is perfect as older kids would rather not be in a stroller.

Different Configurations and Set Up

The City Select can be set up in multiple different configurations, depending on your preference. For example, you can face the seat forward or backwards. Aside from a second seat, the stroller frame is also compatible with Baby Jogger bassinets and car seats, making it suitable for newborns.

Easily Folds

Especially if you’re frequently on the go, having a stroller that folds easily is one of the features parents tend to lookout for. For the City Select, all you have to do is lift the sides, and the stroller folds and locks itself!

Rear Wheels are Air-Filled

Unlike most non-jogging strollers which are equipped with plastic wheels, the City Select has air-filled rear wheels, making them more durable and will handle different surfaces well.

Adjustable Handle Bar

The City Select has an adjustable handle bar that allows you to easily adjust the height of its handle bar such that it will easily accommodate parents with varying heights. This is often a struggle for taller parents who usually have to hunch forward in order to push the stroller.

This stroller has consistently been ranked by many as one of the best everyday use strollers around. Click here if you’d like to learn more about the Baby Jogger City Select stroller in Mommy Stroller’s review.

A few words on the ONLY ONE stroller idea…

One stroller can’t be ALL things to ALL people, of course.

If You’re an Active Parent or a Jogger Parent

If this describes you, then you’d probably want to check out a jogging stroller such as the Baby Jogger Summit X3 or the BOB Revolution jogging stroller. Both of these are compatible with car seats and as such, are suitable for use from newborn. Note however that it is not recommended to jog with a baby less than 6 months old.

For those of you who are interested in looking for a double jogging stroller, here is our guide on the best double jogging strollers in 2016 (and beyond).

If You’re Looking for Something Less Versatile

Now, if you’re looking for just a single stroller without any “expandable” features like those seen in the City Select, you might want to consider the ZOE X1 Sport stroller which was released not too long ago. Not only is it more affordable (less than $200), but its features have made it one of top umbrella / lightweight strollers around today.

Closing Words

In the past year or so, when I was moving places, I realized that less is often more. This is true for a lot of things because trust me, you’ll feel much “lighter.” Believe it or not, this also holds true for strollers – aiming to find a single stroller to meet your needs is something that will not only save you time and money, but will also cause less headaches for you down the road. Given that the majority of Americans (about 48%) say that having two children is ideal, a versatile and futureproof stroller would do the trick. For me, that choice was clear from the beginning – the Baby Jogger City Select stroller.

About the the Writer

This is a guest post by Evelyn Taylor. Evelyn is the main person behind Mommy Stroller, which focuses on helping parents figure out which stroller they should get. Evelyn and her husband, Paul, decided to blog about strollers after the overwhelming feeling they experienced when trying to pick out their first stroller. Both of them enjoy spending time with family and friend, live music, and going on jogs with their kids (in a stroller).

For detailed guides, stroller reviews and anything and everything stroller related, check out Mommy Stroller! You can also connect with the Mommy Stroller crew on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.

3 Responses to "Less is More: Is it possible to buy just ONE stroller?"

By John 08/08/2016 - 4:27 pm

By Casey 08/31/2016 - 3:06 pm

Hi John, those are great tips too thanks for sharing! Our post was intended to get people thinking about the way we tend to accumulate excess ‘gear’ rather than suggest an eco-friendly brand – but that gives us a great idea for another post!